Players come and go. Roles shift and transform. A guy stapled to the bench one night plays 30 minutes the next.

New head coach Steve Hetzel is well aware as the Charge open the season tonight in Erie.

"We talked about it in our first team meeting," he said. "We just have to embrace change. We know it's going to happen. The quicker we can adjust, the better off we'll be as a team."

In each of their first two seasons, the Charge team photo has been rendered useless not long after it was taken. This season, the team just took it early in camp despite there being at least four players in it who would not be around when the regular season starts.

Might as well get it out of the way.

In year No. 1, three of the 10 Charge players on the opening-day roster were still with the team when the season ended.

Year No. 2 was a little more stable, with seven of the players from the opening-day roster still around at the end.

The moral of the D-League story ... stay ready.

"This is a league of opportunity," Hetzel said. "It is what it is."

NEW ROLE

Hetzel never has been a head coach on any level. Sound familiar? Former head coach Alex Jensen came to Canton under the same circumstances and guided the Charge to two straight playoff appearances and last year's East Division title.

A former video coordinator and player development coach in the NBA, Hetzel was asked what the biggest adjustment is in his new role.

"The biggest change is the everyday planning for the next day," he said. "It's constant preparation for what's coming up. You put a calendar on the board and it becomes your chessboard. You have to think three steps ahead."

FOR STARTERS

As of Wednesday, Hetzel wasn't sure on his starters or what the Charge rotation will look like. For last weekend's exhibition game in Fort Wayne, Canton started Jorge Gutierrez at point guard, Antoine Agudio and Rashad Anderson at the wings and Tyrell Biggs and Kevin Jones at the forwards.

Chances are a healthy Gilbert Brown would be strongly considered for a starting spot, but the 6-foot-6 wing player from Pitt was hampered with a hamstring injury for most of camp.

"We'll see how our health is," Hetzel said in reference to the opening-night starting lineup. "It's more about what pieces we think fit together. Nothing is set in stone."

ON THE HORIZON?

The Charge have been contact with big man Arinze Onuaku, who was waived by the New Orleans Pelicans last week.

Page 2 of 2 - Canton holds Onuaku's D-League rights. The 6-foot-9, 275-pound Syracuse product was a D-League All-Star last year with the Charge, averaging 12.6 points and 9.5 rebounds while shooting 56.4 percent from the floor.

It would make sense for Onuaku to join the D-League and stay on the NBA's radar after making a good impression with the Pelicans. A few good games in the D-League and he could find himself back in the NBA.

Nothing is certain, but it would not be surprising to see Onuaku join the Charge soon. They would certainly welcome him with open arms, seeing that a big, physical presence in the middle is the one thing missing from Canton's roster.